Technology has changed real estate. Commissions should change too. We rebate up to 1.5% of the sales price to buyers like you and our excellent service has earned 5-Star reviews on Yelp from 60+ previous clients.
Service Options:
1% Rebate
We rebate 1% of the sales price to you and enable you to search for homes online. We handle everything else like other Realtors, except we ask that you attend open houses on your own when possible. If you can’t, we are happy to make appointments for you to visit them.
1.5% Rebate
This limited services option is for experienced buyers who do not need some of the services listed below. We rebate 1.5% of the sales price to you and ask that you sign an exclusive representation agreement prior to submission of your second offer.
Our Services
1% Rebate
1.5% Rebate
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Rebate
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Depending on the option you select, we rebate 1 – 1.5% of the sales price to your closing costs and/or as a reduction to the purchase price. Closing costs include items like escrow, title and loan fees, taxes and insurance. Sellers pay our commission, which is usually 2.5% of the sales price. We keep 1 – 1.5% (Minimum commission of $8,000 – $8,500) and rebate the rest to you. This means if you purchase a home for $1,000,000, your rebate would be: 1% Rebate Option – $10,000 Sellers agree to pay a fixed commission to the buyer’s agent when their property is listed on the MLS. Unfortunately, if that amount is less than 2.5%, it will reduce your rebate accordingly. |
Customized MLS Search
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Every home listed for sale by a Realtor is on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). We will create an MLS Portal that will:
Real estate web sites like Zillow and Trulia often have inaccurate and delayed information. The MLS Portal enables you to conduct your own searches using the real time, accurate, MLS data that is available to Realtors. |
Property Updates via Email
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Whenever a new listing comes on the market that matches your criteria, you will receive an email with photos, a description and other information. If there is an alteration to a listing, such as a price reduction or a change to its status (active, pending, sold, back on market), you will be updated within 4 hours. Our goal is for you to have the most up-to-date information possible. |
Realtor Open House Notifications
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Many Realtors hold an open house shortly after listing a home for sale. Weekday Open Houses: The “Realtor caravan” occurs on a weekday, generally between 11 – 2 PM and the days vary by area. We are one of few brokerages that provide this open house information to our clients. Weekend Open Houses: TheMLS.com is a the best way to learn about upcoming open houses in Los Angeles County. Homefinder is a useful site to search for weekend open houses both in and outside of the Greater Los Angeles area. NOTE: Nearly all open houses are public and buyers are welcome. It is important to be aware of a principle called “procuring cause,” which may allow a Realtor you speak with to later claim that they are entitled to a commission for telling you about a property that you eventually purchase. To protect your rebate and ensure that we can represent you on a home purchase, it is helpful if you can advise other Realtors that you are already working with a broker. This early disclosure eliminates any future issues. |
Smartphone MLS Search
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Search the MLS right from your phone!Download our free HomeSnap app now! Simple. Easy. Free. |
Offer Preparation
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Since we specialize in representing buyers, we understand your needs and concerns as well as anyone. We can provide you with a list of comparable properties which have sold over the last year. This information will enable you to determine the true market value for the property in which you are interested. Aside from price, a seller’s primary concern is whether a buyer can perform under the terms of the agreement and minor details often make the difference as to whether or not an offer is accepted. For this reason, it is important that your offer package be well written and contain a loan pre-approval letter from your lender. We will prepare your offer and discuss your rights and obligations under the contract. We will answer all of your questions, even some of the ones you don’t ask, and will strive to give you a sense of comfort and predictability with what is to be expected throughout the transaction. While our rebate will certainly save you money, it will not be at the expense of topnotch service from an experienced broker who is responsive to your needs and personally available to you throughout the entire escrow process. |
Escrow
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Once your offer is accepted, you are “in escrow” and we will send you an Escrow Roadmap to help you anticipate what is necessary and to be expected for a successful close of escrow. The clock is now ticking and you will have a small team of people working for you. This team includes your lender, your escrow officer, a physical inspector (and perhaps a structural and/or geological inspector) your title insurance officer and others. We view ourselves as the head of this team and it is our job to help you coordinate all of the necessary inspections and monitor the progress of your service providers to be certain your interests are protected. We can also provide you with a list of inspectors and other service providers of whom we think highly, as well as request an estimated closing cost statement from escrow so you will be familiar with all costs prior to your closing. |
Home Search Consultation
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Searching for a home can be as easy and fun as going shopping… or as agitating and stressful as, well, going shopping. It depends on the person. We want to make this experience as productive and enjoyable as possible and can help you identify priorities, while at the same time not focus too narrowly so that you miss out on a desirable property. We are available to guide and assist you as much as you like, every step of the way. |
Property Appointments
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We ask our clients to visit open houses when possible, but some homes can be seen only by appointment. We are pleased to arrange appointments for our 1% Rebate option clients and accompany you to see homes. Either your designated Realtor or one of our “field agents” will meet you at the property. We have field agents throughout southern California to serve clients that are considering a property that is far from our office in Santa Monica. Once an offer is accepted, your designated Realtor will visit the property during the home inspection.
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Comparative Market Analysis
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When making an offer for a property, it is important to be familiar with recent sales of comparable properties. Sold listings are more useful than active or pending listings because market value for a particular home is determined only when a buyer and seller complete a transaction. TheMLS.com enables users to search and view sold listings to do their own comparative market analysis and we encourage our 1.5% Rebate option clients to make good use of this feature. We are pleased to prepare a comparative market analysis for all of our 1% Rebate option clients. Hopefully there will be at least a handful of nearby, recently sold, comparable properties that we will be able to use. In a market with low inventory, however, we often cannot find recent “comps” and are forced to use somewhat similar homes and make adjustments for differences between the two properties. These could include:
We will look at the subject property and the comp side-by-side and make additions or subtractions accordingly. We do our best to provide as much information as possible so that you can develop a comfort level for the market value of a particular property. Lastly, all buyers who are financing their purchase will benefit from an independent appraisal prior to the close of escrow and cash buyers are encouraged to obtain one as well. |
Accompany to Inspections
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Once your offer is accepted, a thorough home inspection is essential to determine the condition of the property. You may wish to ask friends if they have a home inspector they like or we are happy to recommend a home inspector to you. 1% Rebate Option – We will be present at your home inspection and consult with you about the inspector’s findings. You may wish to do additional, more specialized inspections such as a geological, structural, plumbing, electrical, chimney, mold or a sewer line inspection. We have worked with dozens of service providers and will help you find the best ones to fit your needs. 1.5% Rebate Option – We do not accompany buyers who select this option to their home inspections. We recommend our 1% Option to those clients who would like this service. |
Minimum Commission
$8,500
$8,000
Depending on which service option you select, our commission will be 1 – 1.5% of the purchase agreement price or the minimum commission, whichever is greater. |
Click here to view our rebate agreement.